(EVD) patient from the isolation centre at the Mainland Hospital in
Lagos, facts have emerged as to how the patients are recovering.
Meanwhile, more patients undergoing medical treatment at the centre
may be discharged this week, investigations revealed.
Experts, who commented on the development, said although 60-90 per
cent of people infected with the Ebola virus die, some people do
recover from infection.
"Doctors don't know for certain who will survive Ebola, and there is
no specific treatment or cure for the disease. But studies suggest
there are some biological markers linked with a higher chance of
surviving Ebola," the experts say.
In the view of Derek Gatherer, a Bioinformatics researcher at
Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, who studies viral genetics
and evolution, "when a person becomes infected with Ebola, the virus
depletes the body's immune cells, which defend against infection.
"In particular, the Ebola virus depletes immune cells called CD4 and
CD8 T lymphocytes, which are crucial to the function of the immune
system", Gatherer noted, arguing that "if a person's immune system can
stand up to this initial attack -- meaning their immune cells are not
as depleted in the first stages of infection -- then they are more
likely to survive the disease.
"The patients that survive it best are the ones who don't get such a
bad immune deficiency. But if the body is not able to fend off this
attack, then the immune system becomes less able to regulate itself",
Gatherer said.
Markers
Another marker linked with people's ability to survive Ebola is a gene
called human leukocyte antigen-B, which makes a protein that is
important in the immune system. A 2007 study found that people with
certain versions of this gene, calledB*07 and B*14,were more likely to
survive Ebola, while people with other versions, calledB*67 and B*15,
were more likely to die.
Some people may be resistant to Ebola infection entirely, if they have
a mutation in a gene called NPC1. Studies show that, when researchers
take cells from people with the NPC1 mutation and try to infect them
with Ebola in a laboratory dish, these cells are resistant to the
virus.
Gatherer said in European populations, about 1 in 300 to 1 in 400
people has this mutation.
"But in some populations, this mutation is more common: in Nova
Scotia, between 10 and 26 per cent of people have this mutation. But
the frequency of this mutation in African populations is not known,"
he said.
Also giving an insight, Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola
remarked: "This is a virus that will run a maximum of 21 days. What we
must do is people who show some signs of illness should come in very
early so that we can continue to hydrate them, give electrolyte
balance so that their nervous system do not go into shock and wherever
it is necessary to provide antibiotics for patients; and their body
can fight the virus which in the event last no longer than 21 days."
More to be discharged this week-- Fashola
Fashola, who spoke at a media briefing where he indicated that more
patients were likely to be discharged this week, noted: "There is
silver lining in all of this, as report reaching me shows that many of
the critical patients are responding positively to treatment and are
likely to be discharged next week, (this week).
"At the moment, 61 people have been certified negative and they have been freed.
"Aside the treatment for those who have full grown cases, the more
important work is tracking all those who have had contact with them in
order to know how far the virus has spread. It is when we have finally
reach everyone that we can say that we have control over the virus.
From that place we can go back to sleep."
Nasidi speaks
Also speaking at a different forum, Director, Nigeria Centre for
Diseases Control, NCDC, Prof. Abdulsalim Nasidi said the likelihood of
more patients being discharged arose from medical reports indicating
that they are showing signs of full recovery from the disease.
Nasidi, who spoke on the probability of more patients being
discharged, had earlier affirmed that there were chances of surviving
the deadly disease if treated early.
"Yes, we have some of the patients who have fully recovered from the
disease after intensive medical treatment and they are likely to go
home and reunite with their family members soon," he affirmed.
On the downing of tools by the health workers attending to quarantined
patients at the Control Centre in Lagos, last Friday, he said the
workers had resumed work after appeals and meeting held with some of
the aggrieved workers.
No comments:
Post a Comment